Biden approves Texas disaster declaration amid recovery from ‘severe winter storm’

President Biden declared a natural disaster in Texas due to severe winter storms that affected the state in the beginning of 2023, and ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas.

Heavy ice storms rocked central and eastern Texas at the end of January and early February. More than 300,000 Texans were left without power. 

Federal cost-sharing between FEMA, state and local governments and certain private nonprofits will be available to mitigate costs from the storm in the affected areas, the White House announced.

The Hill has reached out to FEMA for comment.

The disaster declaration will affect Travis County, which includes the state’s capital city of Austin, and a dozen rural counties in that region of the state.